The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs ??

I came across Daniel Priestley's latest post on LinkedIn today and his message reminded me of a story my father had framed and put on the wall of his office more than forty years ago (and yes, he was in the "hot dog business"):

There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.

He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio.

He had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspapers.

But he sold good hot dogs.

He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were.

He stood by the road and cried, "Buy a hot dog, Mister?"

And people bought.

He increased his meat and bun orders.

He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.

And finally got his son home from college to help him out.

But then something happened.

His son, fresh from college, said, "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio?

Haven't you been reading the newspapers?

There's a big depression.

The European situation is terrible.

The domestic situation is worse."

The father thought, "Well, my son's been to college. He reads the papers and listens to the radio, and he ought to know."

So he cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs.

And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.

"You're right son", said the father to the boy.

"We certainly are in the middle of a great depression."

The Business Lessons? ??

1. Success often comes from focusing on what you can control

2. External noise can cloud judgment and create self-fulfilling prophecies

3. Sometimes, the best strategy is to keep doing what works

4. Market perception often shapes reality

5. Your mindset directly impacts your business outcomes

While staying informed is crucial in today's world, don't let negative headlines paralyse your business decisions. Focus on delivering value, maintaining quality, and serving your customers well.

#BusinessWisdom #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Mindset